“How long ago was this?” Zirene growled.
Xylo paused and tried to calculate the days in his head.
“Twenty-three days… It was twenty-three days ago when Selena honored me with a second chance,” Odelm announced softly, looking down at Selena lovingly as he carefully brushed her hair with his agile fingers.
“If what you felt was someone reaching for her, we need to teach her how to send for help and defend herself from others. We don’t know what they want, who they are, or why they want her,” Mwe said grimly.
“Why not teach her before we leave?” Xylo asked. “We leave tomorrow night to arrive during daybreak on Destima. She said you invited us over for dinner, so why not do it then?”
Mwe closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his magenta glow dimmed.
“Do you think it would work?” V’dim asked.
“It has to. She is connected to all of us. Who knows what will happen if they have their way?” Z’fir replied.
“But haven’t your mental shields improved since joining a court bond with her? Ours seem to be continuously growing,” Odelm said.
“Yes, they have.”
“We have noticed it has been easier to mute our crew’s chatter.”
“Then what is the problem?” Royak asked, confused.
“The problem is Selena’s natural ability is shielding. If someone was powerful enough to crack into her and Zirene’s chamber uninvited, then we need to help train her how to defend against any more attacks—and how to reach out to others.” Mwe opened his eyes and peered at Zirene. “And you need to start joining her in the dreamscape. Keeping yourself separate from her will only harm you both over time.”
“Selena and I have already discussed it,” Zirene growled, narrowing his amethyst eyes. “We will work on it once she is settled on Destima—where she belongs.”
“If Selena is being targeted on the space station, why haven’t you left already?” Mwe asked. “It would have reduced my time to try to get to know her better, but I would’ve understood the reason.”
“I can answer. These fools thought they could take her away from me through political means. Unbeknownst to them, she fully defended herself with no aid from those who stood with her on the floor.” He chuckled and swirled the Xowyn in his glass. “They drugged her and tried to have her create a scene, but it was Kaede’s quick thinking that solved that dilemma. If we changed our plans, it wouldn’t solve anything but would make us look like we are cowards.” Zirene raised his glass in the air and purred.
Xylo studied the part of the ceiling Zirene was focused on and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Was he slowly losing his sanity?
“No. We will let them try to target Selena once more. While they are scrambling to come up with their third attempt, my agents will find them.” Zirene toasted Mwe, took a sip, and sighed. “You see, you may be able to hear anyone on this space station, but my agents are hunting. They feel it’s an insult to their capabilities that Selena was drugged right in front of them on their watch, so now, they are out for revenge and—”
“To prove themselves,” Xylo murmured.
“Exactly. They don’t know what is coming for them.”
“And am I supposed to turn a blind eye—and a blank mind—to all of this?” Mwe demanded.
“They are not breaking any laws. We are within our rights to establish preventative measures to protect my citizens.”
“Our citizens,” Royak corrected as he held his hand up. “I know you meant nothing by it, brother. Selena is mine as much as yours by CEG laws.”
This news stunned Xylo. The Aldawi princes were taunting anyone remaining on the station to act and to do it quickly, for no one knew when Selena would be in neutral space again once she landed on Destima. It was both brilliant and dangerous. Who knew what extent they would go to to get their hands on her? Or worse—make sure she did something that would imprison her? Then all they would need to do was knock her unconscious for safety measures and do whatever they pleased with her.
Was the risk worth it?
Xylo hoped so. Selena had been controlled all her life and should be free from fear. It was already bad enough there was an invisible threat they didn’t know and could do nothing about. Yet if they didn’t try this trap, Selena would have to continue to look over her shoulder and wonder if others would be after her and the cubs.
He wasn’t a fool. She would always be desired. It would be up to them to protect her and make sure she wasn’t bogged down by constant fear. Her abilities made her important, someone who would be recorded in history as the first of her kind. Combined with being tied to the Second Prince of the Aldawi Empire, she would never be free.
“I will do everything in my power to protect her,” Mwe said, his deep mental voice rumbled in Xylo’s mind. “My daughter’s—and species—future are in her hands. She wields great power that, if abused, could bring the galaxy—the universe—to its knees. Will you aid her in helping those in need? Or allow her to fall into the hands of those who have nefarious plans?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking Zirene this? Between Prince Royak and him, they have more power than I… Stars, than any of Selena’s Circuli nestmates have combined.”
“You are the first one who she accepted as her own, and you are in charge of
